How to spend $900 million of your money: the first public hearing

University Health System officials gathered beneath the arched, scalloped proscenium in Jefferson High School’s auditorium Monday night to answer any questions the public might have about their $899,404,000 capital improvement project.

Maybe it was Monday Night Football, or maybe it was the fact that the air conditioning was cranked down to a level that could comfortably age beef, or even possibly it was because the public simply is not concerned, but the crowd was sparse and the questions were nil.

That may change with future hearings, but it was an interesting contrast to some of the grumbling when Bexar County Commissioners, who hold the purse strings, decided last year to take on the public debt without putting the question before the voters.

Commissioner Paul Elizondo, who has a longstanding interest in UHS matters, and County Judge Nelson Wolff said at the time that they were worried that a quick vote — and quick was needed to move forward — would force the issue to share a ballot with too many controversial items that might drag it down.

Then-Commissioner Lyle Larson opposed the decision, saying it needed a public vote, and tax watchdog Bob Martin testified against it for the same reason.

Nobody complained — or cheered — Monday night.

Nevertheless, Mark Webb, UHS’ vice president for facilities development, explained in detail both the main hospital redo overview and plans for the downtown Brady Green location.

The former aviation director for the San Antonio International Airport also spent a good deal of time emphasizing UHS’s attempts to hire local contractors as much as possible, in order to keep some of that money at home.

Numerous local firms have already been hired, he said, citing a “litany” — then correcting himself to say “list” — of local participating firms. He greeted audience members Maria Monita, president of the Hispanic Contractors Association de San Antonio; and Mary Cruz, president of the Westside Chamber of Commerce.

Webb offered, also, to be available to local civic groups who might need speakers during their luncheons.

“We’re spending your money, and you have a right to know what we’re doing,” Webb said.